South America, with almost one quarter of the global cattle stock, is a dominant cattle-herding continent. However, this continent lacks a local wild cattle species. Domestic cattle present in South America include Bos taurus breeds and introduced domestic water buffalo. Cattle predation is dominated by only two felids, the jaguar and the cougar, and to a much lesser extent the spectacled bear. There is no large, social canid, as the maned wolf is not powerful and social enough to prey on cattle. The predominant cattle predator is reputed to be the jaguar, although in some cases cougar predation may be blamed on the jaguar, and cougar and spectacled bear predation is a key factor for social conflict. This chapter examines the public perceptions of cattle predators, as this issue is nested within the related issues of carnivore extermination, deforestation, and habitat fragmentation in the face of agricultural and urban expansion, and conservation policies of varying success for jaguars, cougars, and spectacled bears. The current assessment is of increased attention to large carnivore conservation and development of protected areas, which conflicts with increasing cattle populations and retaliatory actions against cattle predation.